Less than two years after they met, Kristen King and Abner Maisonable married at a rustic yet elegant celebration in Charlottesville. Kristen shared a “first look” with her dad before walking down the aisle. “My father sang to me as soon as he turned around,” she says. “It was a very special and emotional moment—one I’ll never forget.” On the underside of his suit collar, Abner had stitched “If you’re a bird, I’m a bird,” a quote from the movie The Notebook that Kristen often recited when they were dating. On the inside of his jacket, the stitching read, “Kristen, My Queen, My Love.”

At the reception, a sign on the escort-card table helped direct loved ones to their seats: “Every table name is a place that shares a special part in our story.” His-and-hers chairs at the sweetheart table read monsieur and madame to reflect the groom’s Haitian heritage. A restaurant manager, Abner designed their signature cocktail, the Conversation Starter, which combined bourbon, cilantro syrup, and ginger beer with fresh blueberries. At the evening’s end, guests departed with cookies and a note that read, “A sweet ending to a new beginning.”

Hayley is an Assistant Editor at Washingtonian Bride & Groom and Washingtonian. Previously she was the the Style Editor at The Local Palate, a Southern food culture magazine based out of Charleston, South Carolina. She currently resides in Bloomingdale. You can follow her on instagram @wandertaste.